Word of mouth counts for everything when it comes to food doesn't it.
I'd much rather visit somewhere that's been recommended than chance taking the whole family there and being disappointed.
Having been told about the tasty food on offer at Bradley Fold Garden Centre, on the border of Bolton and Bury, we decided to give it a go for Sunday lunch.
The pies are one of its biggest selling points, which along with its in-store butchers, attract customers from miles around.
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On Sunday's 'daily specials' menu there were two to choose from, either cheese and onion or steak and red wine. Both served with mixed vegetables and a choice of wholegrain mustard mash or chips.
Myself and the other half opted for the latter and judging by the plates on neighbouring tables we weren't the only ones.
But with popularity comes demand and on returning from the toilets - which seemed more fresh and modern than the rest of the place, the front could certainly benefit from a little TLC - I was told there was just one portion of pie left.
My absence meant I'd avoided the old 'it's fine, you have it', 'no you' charade as my husband had thankfully gone for the chicken burger instead, albeit a tad more reluctantly than the kids who obviously wanted nothing else.
When theirs arrived, looking mouth wateringly good, I did wonder if I'd made a mistake and feigned generosity by offering to swap my pie dinner for said burger and chips.
But when mine arrived, I soon changed my mind. I'm not a typical steak eater, scarred by tough chewy steak I've been served in the past, but this was melt-in-your-mouth perfection. And when so many places are cutting back on ingredients to keep their costs down, this was not only a decent portion, but was packed full of the tasty tender meat.
The gravy was a little on the gloopy side, but it did the job and the veg and mash were both cooked well. You'd struggle to beat it for £8.95.
The pies are all made on site using locally sourced meat from across the north west and Yorkshire. Every bit of it is 'traceable from field to fork'.
On site chefs and pie makers use the same ingredients to make around 1,500 pies and sausage rolls for the cafe at Bradley Fold and its sister site Summerseat Garden Centre, in Bury, as well as the deli counters at both.
There's also a team of patisserie chefs making upwards of 2,000 fresh cakes daily for the cafes and deli counters.
The dessert menu was reasonable, but I made the schoolgirl error of ordering a scone with jam and cream (the whipped stuff) instead of the superior clotted cream, so it was a little disappointing.
Two portions of salted caramel ice cream however earned rave reviews, as did the brownie which was devoured by our youngest who rarely opts for anything else.
As we walked by the patisserie counter on our way out, the choice of desserts was much wider.
With everything from Rolo brownies and Biscoff and white chocolate blondies, to raspberry almond slices and millionaire shortbread, I wished we'd have got cakes to takeaway instead - and only just resisted the four for £10 offer on the brownies and blondies.
We also resisted the temptation to take some of the pies and sausage rolls home too, but there was no shortage of customers queuing up for them. The Branston and cheddar sausage roll, £2.99, looked particularly tasty, as did the pies of all varieties - diced lamb and veg, peppered steak, minced beef and veg, potato and meat, you name it.
At £55.70, we'd already spent enough. But when that's a meal, drink and dessert each, we had little reason to complain. Maybe next time we'll all get a piece of the pie - and grab one to take home too.
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